The cultivation of plants has traditionally taken place in open outdoor fields, which means that the quality and the quantity of that which was cultivated is affected by variations in climate and weather. The impact of weather on the quality and quantity of that which is cultivated also means that farmers have a hard time selling outdoor crops before being harvested. Nowadays, customers increasingly, especially in countries with a highly developed trade and logistics, expect crops of the same quality (looks the same) regardless of good or bad weather. To allow a more uniform quality, it has become increasingly common for growing various plants in a controlled environment.
One way to achieve cultivation in an environment which is less exposed to variations in weather is greenhouse cultivation. Traditional greenhouse cultivation has the disadvantage of crops needing a large area to grow. In urban areas, where land prices are higher than in rural areas, cultivation in the open or in traditional greenhouses is therefore only performed on a limited scale (small scale).
With urbanization and increasing traffic problems in many countries, it has become more difficult to transport the fresh grown food, such as vegetables and other plants, to city centers. Increased environmental awareness among customers has also created a desire to cultivation must be as local as possible. Those problems and increased environmental awareness has in turn led to an increased need (interest) of growing near or in urban environments. With previous methods of cultivation, this has been difficult and costly to perform in, or adjacent to cities.
To increase the amount of crop grown per unit area of land, or floor space in the greenhouses, have different types of cropping systems developed where farming is done at multiple vertical levels. For example described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,327,425 is a variant of a cultivation track comprising substantially horizontal cultivation loops which are located at different vertical levels. The patent described in cultivation track, however, differs from the structure in accordance with the present application since it is based on older technology. The structure further includes no technology with which lighting units may be moved by the cultivation track load carrier or other components present in the cultivation system.
Another example of known cultivation track is described in SE 467643. The patent describes a cultivation track for the agricultural, forestry and horticulture. The cultivation track includes a number between a framework and pivotally attached at a distance from each other arranged support means, which are connected with each other through chains or the like. This design obtains an endless serpentine path. The serpentine forms a cultivation track in a side view a number of substantially V-shaped loops and artificial light are arranged from top to mainly highlight the asserted plants in the respective V-shaped loop. The design has the disadvantage that it is space consuming. Furthermore, the cultivation system according to its description has the disadvantage that it is time consuming to replace lamps and the like in this cultivation system which lacks a device by which the replacement of lamps or the like can be easily or automatically accomplished.
In the Swedish patent SE535207 describes a variant of a cultivation track which is enclosed in a movable unit such as a container or the like. The design under patent provides a good opportunity to control the climate in the cultivation. The design of the patent differs from the design in accordance with the present patent application when the structure of the patent contains at least one V-shaped loop. The cultivation track of patent also has the disadvantage of this lacks a functional device and, in accordance with the present application, with the lights or lighting devices can be replaced quickly if these suffer errors.
There are several problems with the patents described in cropping systems, where farming is done at different vertical levels. For example, there are problems with access to the components of a cultivation track in connection with the servicing and maintenance. To allow access for service and maintenance required service ducts and the like at the cultivation track's side. Service aisles have the disadvantage of these takes up floor space and vertical space above them.
A specific problem with existing types of cultivation tracks that include multiple loops at different vertical levels consist of the difficulty of replacing lighting devices, lamps and fluorescent tubes. When replacing lamps or servicing of lighting devices, this is done from the aforementioned service ducts and the like. In larger cropping systems the change of lighting devices such as lights in the higher-lying loops occurs at relatively high heights requiring ladders and the like to be used, which means obvious risks of falls.
In compact systems that are mounted in the container and the like causes the change of lighting units problems. For example, it may require removal of some components before it is possible for a person to replace a lighting unit. The process may also involve the production must be stopped and it grew removed from the cultivation system.
With the development of LED technology has the dimensions of the lighting units decreased, which has resulted in less space lighting solutions have been developed. This development has unexpectedly led to cultivation systems that may be made more compact types. If the cropping system is compact and includes a plurality of horizontal growing loops, this implies further problems with being able to replace the light-emitting devices.